Long Day - 7. Chapter 7

Greg was staring at me with this look like he just won the lottery, and if you want the truth, I felt like I just had. If you saw him smile, you'd think the same thing! A light, tingly feeling was running through my chest and I felt as if I'd float away.

"Jake, I can't believe it! Sometimes I think it'll never happen, then you just out and say something or do something that makes me see a whole new part of you. God, this is the best day of the whole fucking summer!" he enthused.

"Don't stop believin'," I said with a large smile.

"No way, your stuck with me," he grinned as he drew me to him. I melted in his arms like I do every time, feeling his tight muscles under his shirt and his warmth held tightly and comfortingly to me. Some people say that hugs aren't a guy thing, but sometimes hugs are as essential as breathing. I laid my head on his shoulder next to his head and we stood.

"Cheek to cheek," I said. He grunted in reply, content in my arms. My feeling of being on the ultimate rush held the moment as I began roaming his back with my hands, restlessly moving and feeling each muscle through the cloth. I roamed further down, and with the smallest of hesitations at his waist, pushed my hand down into the back of his jeans.

"Which cheeks are you talking about?" he asked mischievously. I boldly slid my fingers down far enough to grasp one side, and the image of our first day together came to me, unbidden. Me standing behind him in the locker room, watching the small tremor of his thigh muscle pass under his boxer briefs and causing the one half, the half my hand was now on, to tremble.

I shivered at the memory of his legs, strong, smooth and toned, and of his chest, well defined but proportionate and without hair, matching the flat stomach. The thought of that was where my hand was, well, that was nothing short of electric. He groaned softly in my ear and began to work on my earlobe, being gently passionate as he moved slowly to my neck. I returned the emotion with my other hand descending below his belt and cupping the other half of that particular set of cheeks. They tightened and relaxed under my grip, flexing as he stood a bit higher to reach my ear, and relaxed as they let him down to my neck.

"I love you," he murmured in my ear, drawing back to look in my eyes.

"I second that emotion," I replied as I pulled him close for another kiss.

"Hey guys! Taste this Lasagna, would you please? Just a small taste!" my father roared from downstairs. Greg grinned at me while I frowned at his intrusion.

"Hey, it could be worse, at least he didn't walk in with the banana." Greg smiled as he pulled away from me.

We walked into the kitchen, and not only was I annoyed that my father had interrupted, but I was also a little pissed at Greg, who didn't seem to be bothered at all. I know I am a doubtful creature, given to jumping to conclusions and looking foolish afterward, but Greg had become so important to me in the past few months that I was sometimes irrational when it came to him. This must be love, huh?

Dad had the remains of his latest effort on a plate, and it really did look like the remains of some nameless and unfortunate creature. The counter top bore silent testimony to the loss of what might have been the vital fluids and tender tissues of something recently dismembered there, cheese drying in globules amongst chunks of sausage and red sauce, with bits of pasta appearing as small bone fragments or bits of skin. I think you understand now why I don't want to try his lasagna.

"Mr. Tull, we're going to be late and Nick's folks get pissed if we don't stick to a schedule," Greg started, but my dad moved in with a forkful of the slain beastie and Greg felt obliged to take it as I edged towards the door. My Dad handed Greg a bag with some snacks to share while I stepped outside .Greg was by me in an instant, muttering about in-laws making him crazy.

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" I asked.

He looked at me a moment before smiling. "You know, there's this quote about an unexpected gift at an unexpected time, and when you say that it goes right through me," he paused, "but your dad's cooking really sucks!" he laughed out loud and I joined him. I know it sounds mean, but you have got to try the lasagna before you judge.

We walked in companionable silence for the rest of the way, trading smiles here and shoving and giggling there. We were approaching Nick's house when we spotted Trevor a few houses down looking around uncertainly. Funny, I would have thought Jesse would have stayed close to him.

"Trevor! Over here, man," Greg called out to him. His head turned and a broad grin crossed his features as he walked towards us.

"Hi! I thought I had the right place, but when I got here I forgot the house number," he smiled sheepishly, " good thing you guys came along."

"Did Jesse go home? I thought he'd have made sure you got here," Greg remarked offhandedly. Trevor reddened slightly, but he also looked at us curiously.

"I don't mean to pry, but you guys, um, are you a couple?" he asked, finishing in a rush, which definitely turned the tables on Greg's offhand remark.

"We're two of a kind, working on a full house!" I said happily. We had decided long ago that people would know at school anyway, and while we wouldn't be overt about it, we wouldn't balk if asked either. Trevor seemed slightly taken aback by the answer, then smiled shyly at us.

"I kinda thought so, it's nice to meet some guys like myself," he said quietly.

"Whoa, yeah that is cool," Greg said before plunging on, "So hey, what do you think of Jesse?" he asked, taking control of the conversation again.

"He's nice, not bad looking, and I know he's interested. Nick though, man he makes my heart beat faster," Trevor said, cheeks reddening a bit.

Uh oh, I thought, Jesse likes Trevor, but Trevor likes Nick. Nick likes the dragon lady, but he also seems like he could be steered one way or the other, I mean, who noticed Trevor first?

"Nick's straight. What do you mean you know Jesse's interested?" Greg asked, his curiosity plain in his voice.

"Ah, well, I overheard the end of Nick's conversation with his Mom, he spilled the beans to her that Jesse was interested in the new kid, so I guess that's me," Trevor grinned, "And Jesse's sweet and cute, but Nick just does something to me. I don't know what it is, but I like it."

"Wow, well just do me a favor please? Don't hurt Jesse, especially since you know and he doesn't have a clue," Greg asked.

"Sure, I can do that," he replied.

"This is like some soap opera," Greg said, making his voice deeper to sound like a daytime announcer, "next time on As The Stomach Turns, Jesse likes Trevor, but Trevor likes Nick. Who will win, who will lose? Tune in next time!" We cracked up at his impersonation.

"I guess it does sound kind of cheesy, but it's the truth. Jesse's nice, and maybe he'll grow on me, but my mind is sort of fixated," Trevor paused, "It's weird, I know he's straight but I just can't get him out of my head."

"He's dating the dragon lady," Greg remarked.

"Don't trust that woman, boys," I added.

"How bad is she?" Trevor asked, "Maybe he needs some consolation?" He smiled.

"She can be pretty harsh, Jake here likes most folks, but not her," Greg replied.

"Her reputation's 'bout as nasty as the Berlin Wall," I remarked.

"Why is he dating her then? Or does she treat him all right?" Trevor asked.

"On Monday she's a bitch, on Tuesday she's a bitch, and Wednesday through Saturday she's a bitch," I paused for breath before finishing, "then on Sunday, just to be different, she's a super, duper, King Kong, mega beeaatch!" I crowed, while Greg tried to contain himself and Trevor was having a hard time standing upright.

"What's up guys? What's so funny?" Nick said as he appeared in the doorway, which sent us spiraling into another fit of laughter.

As it turned out we were the last to arrive, and the basement was an awesome destination! Sleeping bags were all over the place and it looked like a few guys had brought bags of chips and stuff as they were piled on a table. Greg put our offering there as well, and we picked a spot to set our stuff down. Rich was talking to Mark and Tommy while Jesse's eyes lit up at the sight of Trevor, and I gave an inward sigh. Nick walked downstairs with Mickey in tow, and if you remember what I had to say about Greg's legs, Nick's were very similar, just longer. Wow!

It was funny in a sad kind of way, Jesse looking at Trevor and Trevor looking at Nick, who was oblivious to the whole thing. Hormones were everywhere, except for Mark, Tommy and Rich who were arguing (wow what a shock) baseball. Nick and Mickey joined them and the battle grew heated as Nick pissed Tommy off by picking on his team.

Tommy was odd. He was very levelheaded right up until you pissed him off, then all reason flew away until he had calmed down. Well, they were doing a good job getting him all spun up now. What made it funny is they were doing it on purpose and he didn't see it, Tommy who was normally quite sharp. His brother Mark, by contrast, was almost always placid and sharp enough that he could be termed manipulative, as he was surely doing to his brother now as they tweaked his nose about his ball club.

Rich, as I have mentioned, waits for an opening and then throws lighter fluid on the fire. The more amazing thing was that, while Rich was less vocal overall in his antagonizing, he seemed to avoid the collateral damage from Tommy's inevitable explosion even if he was the spark.

I am almost entirely inclined to say that Nick's job is to look good and give Tommy questioning looks while Mark winds him up. Now I know I'm biased because Nick is damn good looking, but if I watch his mouth instead of his body I can see that he too is twisting Tommy right to a breaking point. Tommy's weakness here is that he argues in facts whereas Nick and Mark make things up, and being as they're false to start with Tommy loses his footing. Stick to the facts and Tommy will eat you alive, throw in some bullshit and watch him explode.

Mickey would stand a bit to the side, snickering with Rich from time to time, but basically being a wallflower.

The show was interrupted by Nick's Dad coming downstairs.

"Hey guys, listen just a few ground rules here, ok? Number one, no smoking. If you are a smoker, which you shouldn't be, go out the side door to suck on your butt," he said which drew smiles, " Second, keep it down. It's insulated down here, but not soundproof. Three, you will clean up after yourselves tomorrow morning, and four, what do you guys want on your pizza?" he asked.

Funny, I had the impression that Nick's parents didn't like kids all that well, but maybe I had them wrong because he was being more than reasonable in my book, especially if you consider he wasn't supposed to be real pleased about us all being here. We settled in to watch a movie, me laying on Greg, Jesse next to Trevor, beaming of course. Trevor seemed to steal glances at Nick, who sat cross-legged on the floor totally engrossed in the movie, as were Rich, Mark and Tommy. Funny though, Rich seemed to look at Nick once in a while too. Mickey sat in a recliner and seemed to be completely wrapped up in the movie, until he looked at Trevor, who was looking at Nick.

My friends are so weird.

The pizza arrived and I went upstairs to the bathroom since Mickey was using the one in the basement. The bathroom was on the second floor and was this nice tiled job, although my mom used to say she'd never have a tiled bathroom cause it was so hard to keep clean. It had two doors on it, one to the hallway and one leading into a bedroom, I assume. I washed my hands and, as I reached for the towel, I heard steps in the hallway, and entering a room. I recognized Trevor and Nick's voices through the door.

"So what's up, Trevor?" Nick asked, and I could hear his bedsprings creak, I presumed from him sitting down.

"Well, I know we just met but I'm guessing with how tight everyone here is, and with Greg and Jake not having to hide anything, that you guys aren't too judgemental," Trevor began, and I heard the sound of what could be a nervous pacing.

"Yeah, Greg and Jake are cool with us all, they've known Greg for years and they say Jake is like this missing piece of Greg, like he's a whole person now. I think they're both pretty damn cool, and even though Jake doesn't like it I think how he talks is just un-fucking-believable. Makes me think the stuff I have to deal with is small potatoes, kind of inspires me to try harder," Nick replied, and I felt a kind of pride well in myself.

"Well, I don't think there's a really good way of saying this, but I am…I'm really attracted to you, Nick." Trevor said, and the silence from my vantage point was deafening.

"You've nothing to say?" Trevor stated, a ragged and nervous edge to his voice.

"What do you expect me to say? That I'm flattered? Well, I guess I am, It's nice to know someone thinks that I'm good looking besides my mother. But if your looking for me to say I want to experiment with you or that I feel the same way, I'm sorry Trevor. I just don't." I heard a deep exhalation and Nick spoke again, "Your mad cool, Trevor, and I want you to be my friend, but I'm not attracted to you."

"I think I should go, this was a bad idea," Trevor said, tremors in his voice.

"Trev, for as hard as it was for you to say what you did, to admit it, it's at least that hard to say what I had to say too," Nick said softly.

"I just don't think I can be around you, Nick. I better go," Trevor said, and I heard a few steps before Nick's voice rang out in anger.

"So that's it? I get no say on whether this friendship goes anywhere? Do you have any idea how selfish you're being?" Nick growled.

"What are you talking about?" Trevor asked uncertainly.

"Just because I don't want to go to bed with you I can't be your friend? What about the guys, what will you tell them? What am I supposed to say when you leave? Sorry, but Trevor won't be my friend cause I don't think he's fucking hot? So he's going to go, and if you guys want to hang out with one of us that's fine, but don't invite us both? That's bullshit! You know, people get turned down everyday, plenty of straight people too you know."

"How am I supposed to be around you, Nick? I think things that you would probably hate me for!" Trevor wailed.

"How the hell would you know? What you dream is your property, not mine. In fact, I'll tell you I think about Jake sometimes, hell if I was going to experiment I'd want to try with him I think. And maybe I do, but who I do it with is my business. Trevor, just cause you like someone doesn't mean they have to return that, and it doesn't make them bad. I want you around, I like you and I think your funny, I think you'll be a good friend to me. So what do you say to that?"

"You really don't have a problem with it?" Trevor sounded hopeful, while I was busily turning over Nicks words in my own mind, who knew?

"Look, would I do this if I did?" Nick said and I heard the bed springs squeak again and then Trevor murmured a thanks and an apology. I then heard some sniffing and a retreat down the stairs. I stepped into the hallway as Nick emerged from his room, and we startled each other. I thought they had just gone downstairs!

Nick studied me, wide eyed. "Were you in the bathroom, Jake?" he asked slowly and very deliberately. I nodded.

"Did you, ah, hear the conversation?" he asked, and I shrugged.

He looked at me and I looped an arm around his shoulders, looking him in the eye I said, "If you want my body, and you think I'm sexy, come on sugar let me know."

He fixed me with a stunned expression and I howled with laughter, pulling him into an embrace.

"This is so weird, I am so embarrassed," Nick said into my ear, "You're not mad, are you?" I pulled back from him and smiled.

"Please understand, I'm in love with another man," I replied, still smiling.

"Yeah, I know that, but you're not mad for what I, um, said?"

Once again I looped my arm over his shoulders, leading him to the stairs, "These dreams go on when I close my eyes, every second of the night."

"What? I don't understand."

"I can't control this flesh and blood, that wraps around my bones," I replied, pointing at him. He looked at me in confusion, like a dog will with it's head cocked when it hears an odd noise. "Can't help myself," I said, pointing at him again.

"Okay, either you like me too, or you're saying I can't help what I feel," he replied. Well, he was right, I did think he was cute as hell. I placed a hand on his cheek, drawing it forward to his chin.

"We'll never be as one," I replied with a smile.

"Yeah, I know that. I don't even think I'm queer. I just know I think you're good looking, you know?" he said quietly. I nodded in response. "So you're not going to leave, like Trevor was going to?" he asked.

"Never will I roam," I said while shaking my head.

"Jake, just one question?" I looked at him, waiting. "Do you think I'm good looking?" he asked.

"Without question," I said. He beamed at me.

"Thanks, Jake. You really are one awesome guy," he said shaking his head.

There were still a few slices of pizza left and Greg had a plate for me. He gave me a questioning look as I sat next to him, but what was I going to say? I just smiled at him and bit into my pizza. The second movie was put in and Jesse was squirreling in close to Trevor, who actually seemed to observe it with some amusement. Nick stretched out in the chair while Greg and I nestled together on the couch, the other guys settling in on their sleeping bags. The second movie was awful and it wasn't long before Greg asked me if I wanted to go sit in the backyard for a bit. I nodded and followed him out the back door into the Petersen's back yard. The porch leading from the kitchen one floor up was above us as we walked out the door. Moonlight bathed the yard in it's eerie glow, a warm and gentle breeze whispered in the trees and through the grass that needed to be mowed.

Greg and I sat on a swinging bench, hand in hand.

"So what went on upstairs? I know you know something," he asked mischievously. I turned to look at him and was surprised to read some worry in his face as well. How was I going to tell him what happened?

"Did something happen between you and Nick?" he asked.

"Just like an old friend," I replied happily.

"Oh, you guys bonded or something, huh?"

"Friends for life," I replied.

"So am I in trouble?" he asked, a half smile on his face. So that was it!"

"You're in my heart, you're in my soul. You'll be my breath should I grow old, you are my lover you're my best friend, you're in my soul," I sang softly while holding his hands in mine.

"Jake, I get nervous sometimes, I feel like you'll find someone new. I'm not blind, Nick is good looking and he seems like he might be even willing to try stuff or something. I just don't want to lose you," he sighed with a small tear forming.

"Greg, without question, I…Love…You," I replied, staring into his eyes.

"That's one of the things I love about you, you really do say what you need to," he whispered. We stood and walked across the lawn while he gathered himself back together. The Petersen's yard ended in a small stand of trees and a small creek could be heard down the embankment, then the far side sloped up into a hillock covered in trees. What was important was that if we descended a bit, we couldn't be seen from the yard. I led him down the embankment, then leaned against a tree while pulling him close to me.

"I really do love you, you know," Greg said.

"I will always love you, Greg," I replied as I closed in on his lips. I allowed my hands to rove across his back, climbing under his shirt to touch the smooth, warm skin underneath. Once more I passed a hand down past his belt, but this time I hugged the skin closely so that there was just my skin on his. He let out a small groan, the slightest gasp, as I took one cheek in hand and began to knead the soft skin between my fingers.

I ran the other hand down and resumed the position we'd been in before my father had so rudely interrupted us. The difference was there was no boxer-briefs separating my hands from his cheeks and I grabbed them, lifting him closer to me, and I felt them flex and tighten as he stood on his toes to go back to working on my ears. My heart pounded in my ears, my thoughts consumed with thoughts of Greg and overloaded with the tactile sense of his skin. His fresh, soapy smell was intoxicating and I found myself wanting more and more contact with him. I extracted one hand and undid his belt buckle, then the one button at the top. Slowly the zipper gave way to my insistent demands.

My hand went down into his jeans, not to his crotch but first to those legs that had so captivated me, the objects that had made me think of doing ... things with Greg.

I pulled the other hand free and lifted his shirt over his head, which he surrendered with no protest, and I set to work on his chest, enclosing his nipple in the moist heat of my mouth and teasing the nipple to hardness with my tongue. Meanwhile I turned him so that he was leaning against the tree and made my way down his body, groans of pleasure coming from his throat as he was lost in the moment. My heart swelled to know I was causing this pleasure, and moved my hands, palms down, over his chest. They slid down to his waist, continuing down his legs, reveling in his silky skin, taking his boxer-briefs with them. He looked down at me as I gazed on him, his cheeks somewhat red.

"You don't have to," he said to me, very softly, very lovingly.

As I descended towards him, before I made my attempt to please him as he had never been, I replied.

"I know."

To say we returned disheveled was a bit of an understatement, and don't think for a second those perverts weren't doing a laugh-track play by play in there. We endured corny taunts and knowing looks and all we could do was smile sheepishly, for what was there really to say? It had been amazing, beautiful and exciting. Thinking of it made my heart beat like a trip-hammer, my palms sweat and , yes, another part of me was excitable as well. Greg gave me a boner, ok? Satisfied? No, you want details? Too bad, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Continued...

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